4 Big Benefits of OpenAir User Acceptance Testing
User Acceptance Testing, or UAT, is the final step of the OpenAir implementation process and one of the most critical phases of any successful project. It is the opportunity to validate that the software configuration meets the needs and supports the workflow of your organization, based on the requirements gathered earlier on in the project. UAT is the point in the project to not only ensure quality but also that the system will work for the users who will need to own and use the system on a day to day basis. Dedicated UAT sessions are critical events that will educate OpenAir power users with a detailed understanding of the system and enable them with the knowledge to own and support the system going forward.
UAT easily pays for itself if planned and done correctly. It will save wasted time later due to scrambling for answers, implementing fixes that could have been prevented, and frustration by users leading to poor adoption of the system. When configuring a new instance of OpenAir or making changes to an existing instance of OpenAir, setting aside dedicated UAT sessions serves several benefits.
1. Validates that the configurations support the business requirements
First and foremost, UAT is an opportunity to ensure that your needs are being met. While completing the steps to test configurations, having a list of the business requirements and track the reason for testing and test results back to these requirements. The foundation for configurations should be solid and have a clear rationale, some of which may not be fully understood until the requirements are applied in a practical test.
2. Confirms that each user role can do their job
Testing is a team effort. Engaging users from each role will widen the power user base as well as allow the team to identify blockers specific to a user’s workflow or process. While an administrator may have no issue seeing all users, editing fields on a form, or effectively submitting a timesheet, there may be a setting that prevents another role from completing their process. The key to enrolling additional users in UAT, who may not have already been engaged in the project, is to ensure that they are made aware by the project team, the goals and purpose of the project, and what to expect during testing. If users from each role are not available or time constraints prevent them from becoming involved, other users can be set up to proxy in as those roles.
3. Power users gain system knowledge
As users are completing acceptance testing, they are inherently learning how OpenAir works and how to navigate the system. More time spent understanding how and why the configurations were made for the business, as well as familiarization across modules, increases the knowledge and comfort these folks have and will be able to convey to the larger team during and post go-live. More comfort, knowledge, and understanding results in better user adoption.
4. Allows time to prepare training materials
If you are already in the system testing functionality, why not take this time to grab screenshots and outline steps for users in training guides or tip sheets? Barring any blockers requiring significant changes, this is the perfect time to create training materials for the organization.
The higher the quality of the UAT phase, the higher the quality the resulting system will be at go-live. Think of UAT as a test drive; the requirements may look great on paper; however, you don’t really know how the system works until you get behind the keyboard and take it for a spin.
For more PS Best Practices information and considerations for Professional Services or OpenAir, check out the recorded webinars in our resource library. For more information on our process workshops and business efficiency assessments, visit our website for details.
